Environmental collaborative meets educational NEED’ in Truro

Sunday

Mar 24, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 24, 2013 at 1:53 PM

Unless you are a naturalist, outdoor educator or National Park Service employee, you might not be aware of a special environmental education program, based in the park-owned former Pamet Coast Guard Station just off Ballston Beach in Truro.

Deborah Minsky

Unless you are a naturalist, outdoor educator or National Park Service employee, you might not be aware of a special environmental education program, based in the park-owned former Pamet Coast Guard Station just off Ballston Beach in Truro.

The National Environmental Education Development Collaborative, jointly administered by the Dennis-Yarmouth, Monomoy and Falmouth school systems in partnership with the Cape Cod National Seashore, is a publicly funded environmental education program designed for fifth-graders from Falmouth, Yarmouth, Dennis, Chatham and Harwich. In operation since 1973, it is an appealing school-away-from-school, where students benefit from hands-on exploration and experiential learning involving field trips and on-site instruction.

A recent visit on a stormy day when outdoor activities had to be curtailed revealed that beyond the science-ecology-social studies core, NEED, as it is referred to, also teaches invaluable lessons in self-reliance, decision making and group building.

The afternoon’s observation found students engaged in carefully designed lessons, one after the next, each seeming to inspire enthusiasm, as their full schedule absorbed them from the 7 a.m. wakeup to the 9 p.m. bedtime.

A quartet of teacher-naturalists, led by the group’s lynchpin director and master of all details, Eleanor “Ellie” Moody, are on task round the clock, caring for, guiding and inspiring school groups on a weekly rotation. In this potentially life-altering but relatively short period of time, kids form lasting bonds among each other as well as with their teachers.

Surprising as it may seem, those who don’t reside in the immediate vicinity of the Outer Cape often miss out on in-depth exposure to these local beaches, woods and marshes that offer rich natural, cultural and scenic opportunities. Truro’s NEED Collaborative satisfies a vital educational need within and beyond traditional classroom settings. It is also a valuable source of local, non-tourist-based employment from September through early June.

The current staff members — resident teacher-naturalists Adam Leiterman, Alyssa Catalano, Emily Olivo and Christopher George, and part-time cook Carolina Marseglia — are kept busy throughout the academic year meeting the varied needs of their student charges during their three-day, two-night or five-day, four-night stays.

Moody, NEED’s director since 2007, explains that lessons drawn from the mandated Massachusetts Science Curriculum Frameworks and the History & Social Studies Frameworks, teach fifth-graders the natural history, ecology and biology of Cape Cod.

Among other things, students learn about the glacial creation of Cape Cod and the effects of weathering and erosion, about the Cape’s plant and animal life and about protecting and conserving the land and its inhabitants. Students also study human history on Cape Cod, including about the U.S. Life Saving Service, early colonists and Native American tribes, who inhabited Cape Cod long before Europeans arrived, as well as about whalers, traders and pirates.

Part of NEED’s staff for three-and-a-half years, resident teacher-naturalist Adam Leiterman brings a bachelor’s in marine science, a master’s in environmental education and solid teaching experience to bear on his work at the collaborative. In addition, during summers he has worked as a naturalist on various whale watch boats out of Provincetown.

“My goals involve helping the students realize their daily connections to the natural world — from resource use, to the joy of exploration, to preserving it for the future,” he says. “I want my students to feel empowered to help preserve and shape their local environment through sharing their knowledge when they return home, and making better daily decisions.”

He adds that NEED is “particularly special” because of the history and sense of community involved. “Several generations of the same family have passed through this program, as well as multiple members of the same family. It has become a rite of passage for many students on the Cape and thus builds a sense of community.”

He also touches on the interconnectedness of groups on the Cape — off-season and during economically challenging times such mutuality keeps organizations going. Children benefit from experiencing first-hand the notion that working together tends to provide beneficial results.

He credits the continuing success of the NEED program to its proven track record, passionate support base and staff dedication.

“In each hike-activity there are always chances to discuss random topics. Fifth-graders have unusual free associations, and I just love talking with them about movies, sports, even religion and evolution,” he says. “Our curriculum framework never changes, but staff members can certainly create new evening activities that fit the framework. Each hike is different because of the dynamic nature of nature. While we always cover concepts like glaciation, erosion, etc., we may use different techniques each week as a result of the beach and the capabilities [and/or] interests of the group.”

From his perspective, he says, among the things that help the program work so well — and the part he particularly enjoys — is the spectrum of interactions between teachers and students across the wide range of activities.

“The high points involve really getting to know the students, forming bonds and being in a dynamic work environment, due to nature and changing student needs. This job challenges staff to be a naturalist, teacher, mentor, friend, counselor and more. Based on how I meet these challenges (or not) they can be both high and low points. All the activities are kid-friendly, and have been tweaked for the past 30 years, but success is determined by how the staff oversees the group and facilitates the activity.”

Links

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Wicked Local Provincetown ~ P.O. Box 977 Provincetown, MA 02657 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service